1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to pressure infusion devices and, more specifically, to an electronic breast implant device that is programmable to deliver a precise amount of fluid to an implant during surgery. The pump includes a pump device that will draw saline through a tube from a saline bag and pump the saline into an implant. The pump device will maintain a closed system that will prevent air and infectious contaminants from being introduced to the fluid. The pump device is reversible thereby enabling the surgeon to remove fluid as needed. A digital keyboard and display allow the surgeon to preset the desired amount of saline to be distributed to the implant and let the surgeon concentrate on the surgery while the implant is being filled. A three-way valve is disposed in the line between the pump device and the implant to enable the surgeon to insert a syringe therein to manually make fine adjustments to the quantity of fluid in the implant.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Surgeons performing breast augmentation surgery using saline implants presently use a manual hand pump to deliver saline to the implants which is time consuming and requires the surgeon to concentrate on keeping count of how many cc's of fluid have been transferred. Unfortunately, there are frequent distractions in the operating room that require the surgeons attention simultaneously that could result in the surgeon losing count and delivering the improper amount of saline. Furthermore, the additional amount of time spent in the operating room adds to the cost to the patient and reduces the amount of time that the surgeon and staff can be performing other duties and that the operating room may be used for other patients.
The present invention seeks to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art by introducing a breast implant fill pump device utilizing a peristaltic pump, cardiac pump or any other suitable pump device that will draw saline through a tube from a saline bag and pump the saline into an implant. The pump device will maintain a closed system that will prevent air and infectious contaminants from being introduced to the fluid. The pump device is reversible thereby enabling the surgeon to remove fluid as needed. A digital keyboard and display allow the surgeon to preset the desired amount of saline to be distributed to the implant and let the surgeon concentrate on the surgery while the implant is being filled.
There are other pressure infusion devices designed for delivering fluid. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 2,766,907 issued to Wallace, Jr. on Oct. 16, 1956.
Another was issued to Hinck et al. on May 23, 1978 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,514. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,116 was issued to Leibinsohn on Mar. 26, 1985 and still yet another was issued on Nov. 25, 1986 to Kress as U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,671.
Another was issued to Bellin et al. on Apr. 5, 1988 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,613. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,905 was issued to Reed on Sep. 11, 1990 and still yet another was issued on Aug. 27, 1996 to Maddock et al. as U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,672.
Another was issued to Ryan on Sep. 21, 1999 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,696. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 6,432,081 was issued to Atala on Aug. 13, 2002 and still yet another was published on Apr. 17, 2003 to Nakao as U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0074084.
Another patent was issued to Godrich et al. on Sep. 17, 1980 as U.K. Patent No. GB2 042 091 and another was published on Apr. 1, 1999 as International Patent Application No. WO99/15756 to Corlew.